The reason why a boomerang comes back is due to a phenomenon known as gyroscopic precession.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Torque-induced precession (gyroscopic precession) is the phenomenon in which the axis of a spinning object describes a cone in space when an external torque is applied to it.
- The phenomenon is commonly seen in a spinning toy top, but all rotating objects can undergo precession.
- When a boomerang is thrown correctly, the airfoil provides the necessary lift for the boomerang to stay in the air.
- When a boomerang is thrown, the top wing is moving faster through the air as compared to the bottom wing, because the top wing is moving in the direction of the throw, while the bottom wing is moving in the opposite direction. As a result, the top wing will generate more lift than the bottom wing.
- The difference in the lift between the top and the bottom wing creates a torque. It is this torque that makes the boomerang tilt and gradually return to the thrower.
- The reason why a boomerang comes back is due to a phenomenon known as gyroscopic precession. It is this torque that makes the boomerang tilt and gradually return to the thrower.